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Dumpster permit in Chatham, MA

A green roll-off dumpster in a sandy driveway beside a gray-shingled Chatham house under renovation

What the town's documents say

The Protective Zoning Bylaw has the one dumpster sentence we found, in its floodplain district rules: "If a dumpster is used to contain the debris, the dumpster will be covered." The same paragraph requires demolition debris to be removed within fourteen days of completion and kept out of resource areas and buffer strips.

No roll-off permit, street-placement rule or fee appears in the Health Division, Building Division or Transfer Station pages we read. The Health Division page links a file named "Solid Waste Regulations, BOH DRAFT 5_4_2026"; we could not open its text, so it may change things. Ask the Health Division, 508-945-5165, and the Building Division, 508-945-5168.

Who needs a permit

The Health Division fee schedule lists a Refuse Collector/Hauler permit at $125.00. That is the hauler's cost, not yours, but it means a company dropping a box on your property should hold one. Ask the hauler for its Chatham permit.

A renovation with a building permit also brings the Building Division in: plumbing, gas, electric and all building permits are available online. If the dumpster sits in the street or on town land, ask the town before it is delivered, since we found no page that answers that.

The bylaw's floodplain and resource-area rules also limit where debris can sit.

When a dumpster is the wrong tool

A rented dumpster usually comes with a delivery window and a weight limit set by the hauler, plus the cover the bylaw asks for. For a cleanout of a few rooms, a loaded trailer is simpler: a quarter trailer $209, a half $319, three-quarters $409, a full trailer $519, with a $159 minimum. We load by hand from porches, garages and basements, with no travel fee, and we leave no box on your lot.

For a big renovation with a lot of lumber, drywall and bricks, the Transfer Station lists those on the "inquire at gate" line with a fee. Call 508-945-5156 for a weight and cost quote.

Before a dumpster lands in a Chatham driveway

  1. Call the Health Division

    508-945-5165. Ask whether a dumpster permit or a Board of Health approval applies in your zone.

  2. Call the Building Division

    508-945-5168. If the job has a building permit, ask about debris handling and placement.

  3. Ask the hauler for its permit

    The Health Division lists a $125 refuse collector/hauler permit.

  4. Plan the cover

    The bylaw says a dumpster for demolition debris will be covered.

  5. Keep it off resource areas

    Debris must not be stored in a resource area or buffer strip.

Local resources in Chatham

Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.

Quick answers

Do I need a dumpster permit in Chatham?

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We found no town page that requires one. Call the Health Division at 508-945-5165 to confirm for your address.

Must a Chatham dumpster be covered?

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The zoning bylaw says a dumpster holding demolition debris will be covered.

Can I put a dumpster in the street in Chatham?

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We found no rule either way. Ask the town before delivery.

What does a refuse hauler permit cost in Chatham?

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$125 on the Health Division fee schedule.

Sources

Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Chatham before you go.

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